Tom Waring, the Wire
Gov. Tom Wolf last week endorsed state Rep. Steve Santarsiero in his race for the 8th Congressional District.
Santarsiero faces Shaughnessy Naughton in the April 26 primary.
“From standing up for women’s reproductive rights to holding the gas drillers accountable, Steve Santarsiero is the proven progressive champion we need in Congress,” Wolf said. “Steve isn’t afraid to stand up to the special interests or to do the right thing even when it’s tough. That’s the type of leadership we need in Congress. I’m proud to endorse Steve and I look forward to standing by his side and campaigning hard for his election.”
Santarsiero recently earned the Democratic Party’s endorsement, with both the Bucks and Montgomery Democratic parties overwhelmingly voting to endorse him.
“I’m proud to have earned Gov. Wolf’s support. I value his leadership, and I look forward to working together to win this election,” he said. “In Congress, I will continue to stand with the governor to find responsible solutions for Bucks and Montgomery counties.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee sees the endorsement as proof that Santarsiero is running to the left of Naughton. The website Inside Government listed Wolf as the most liberal governor in the country.
The NRCC wants to know if Santarsiero supports all of Wolf’s proposed tax hikes, including those on home health care services, personal hygiene products and non-prescription drugs.
“We congratulate Steve Santarsiero for being endorsed by an out-of-touch millionaire governor who has proposed new taxes on baby diapers, burial caskets and everything in between. The people of Pennsylvania’s 8th District should be concerned that Santarsiero will try bringing these same tax-and-spend policies to Congress,” said NRCC spokesman Chris Pack.